How do you give PO meds to a hip fracture pt?

[J-Swish]

I know it's a dumb question but it's been awhile and I totally forgot. How do you give PO meds to a left side hip fracture pt who is restricted to Bed Rest order? Can we put them in fowler's position?

[healthstar, BSN, RN]

Where I work, bed rest means the patient cannot leave the bed, cannot stand up....but they can turn on their unaffected side, and it is absolutely okay to raise the head of the bed to give medications, unless the patient had a procedure that requires to be flat for one hr or so. You can turn the patient to the unaffected side and give po meds, by turning them on one side it decreases the risk for aspiration.

[Katie71275]

Depending on what the docs orders are(based on ho long ago the surgery was to repair if they had surgery) then you can turn them to either side. Always check your orders to make sure that they have an order that says turn them to the affected side before you do it! Ive had fractured patients on their backs, and haven't had a prob giving their meds.